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Kagawa: Moyes did not count on me

Louis van Gaal said Shinji Kagawa did not buy into his philosophy at Manchester United © Getty Images

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Shinji Kagawa says he felt compelled to return to Borussia Dortmund following his difficult time at Manchester United where former manager David Moyes "did not really count on him."

Kagawa was signed from the Bundesliga side by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2012 but struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford.

His second season at the club, under Ferguson's predecessor David Moyes, proved "particularly difficult" and the midfielder was then told he could leave by Louis van Gaal, who said the 25-year-old was not buying into his managerial philosophy.

Kagawa said he only had plans to return to his former club and admitted they "remained in his heart anyway."

He said: "My decision was clear, I wanted to return to BVB and only to BVB. I want to achieve success with this club again, and with no other.

"Only facts matter in football, stats, goals, assists, titles, and a lot was missing in this regard. That was probably why they no longer included me in their plans.

"Everybody knows that my second year at Manchester United was particularly difficult. The manager did not really count on me, and the team was also on a bad run.

"That means I am all the more delighted to be back. My heart had remained at BVB anyway."

Kagawa did not choose to pass comment on Van Gaal, adding: "I only worked under him for a month."

However, while stating United had all the ingredients to be a successful side during his time there, Kagawa issued a parting shot by suggesting his belief had returned at Dortmund under manager Jurgen Klopp.

"Fundamentally, I want to win everything - that's my nature," said Kagawa, who scored on his return to action in a 3-1 win against Freiburg at the weekend. "We also have what we need - the players and the coach - to win titles.

"Having said that, we had that at Manchester and it didn't work. A lot of things have to click, but I hold the belief that this is absolutely possible here."

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